The Pinocchio Syndrome
by Elizabeth5
Summary: A truth plant stirs a little trouble with the band of explorers. M/R, V/N


The Pinocchio Syndrome  
by Elizabeth Gilliland  
  
Summerlee twisted his hands nervously, then walked over and made sure no one was near   
the lab before turning to face Challenger. "George, I really don't think this is a good idea.   
It just isn't right to manipulate our friends in this manner--"  
  
Challenger ignored him and continued working. " Now isn't the time to get cold feet, Arthur.  
The plant is harmless-- you know that. Besides, it's for the sake of science."  
  
The Givarri plant had been an incredible discovery, though it was hard to really find   
anything incredible after living on the plateau for the last two years. But this plant...it was   
something special. Challenger had always wanted to test whether or not it could really make   
people tell the truth. After discovering a small specimen of it with Summerlee three days   
before, he had been informed by his botanist companion that it not only made it impossible to   
lie, but that it also physically compelled people to tell as much of the truth as they could.   
After laboring over making it edible and less perceptible to the taste buds (and therefore easier   
to disguise in food), Challenger now felt it was the proper time to test his little project.  
Summerlee shook his head. There was no dissuading Challenger when he had science on the mind.   
He was like a little boy let loose in the candy store, eager to consume all of the chocolate and   
sugar that he could. Still, Summerlee felt awful about using the other explorers as guinea pigs,  
even though he was rather curious to know what the effects of the plant would be. " I suppose   
you're right," he conceded. "But still, maybe we should minimize the dosage."  
  
" And risk tampering with the results?" Challenger shook his headed. " Don't worry, Arthur,  
old boy. Just leave everything to me."  
  
  
" Why, John Roxton, I do believe you're jealous." Marguerite said as she glided out of   
her room with Roxton following closely behind. She turned and smiled at him. " Just because   
Malone accidentally got a little peek..."  
  
" I'm not jealous." Roxton countered, though she could tell that it took a great deal of   
control for him to remain calm. " I just want to know how much Malone saw."  
  
Marguerite turned coyly to him. " Enough, I'm sure." She laughed a bit. " It was an   
accident, John. A stupid, insignificant accident that has been blown out of proportion. Now,   
why don't you just admit that you're jealous?"   
Roxton let out an aggravated breath of air. " I'm not jealous!" He paced the room for a   
moment, then turned abruptly to her. " Just what was Malone doing by the riverbank, anyway?"  
" Oh, honestly. The six of us have all lived together for two years. I'm surprised   
something like this hasn't happened before." Marguerite informed him. She glanced over and saw   
Veronica standing in the corner of the room, glaring at her. " What?"  
  
" Nothing." Veronica said, folding her arms sullenly.  
Marguerite rolled her eyes. " Don't tell me that you're going to start pouting around here,   
too."  
  
" Of course not." Veronica said, standing up a bit straighter and tossing her hair a bit.   
" After all, it was just an accident."  
  
" Thank you." Marguerite said, over-dramatizing her sigh of relief. She shot a meaningful   
look at Roxton. " At least someone around here isn't acting like a spoiled child."  
  
Before Roxton could reply, Malone entered the room. He nodded to each of them in turn.   
" Veronica, Roxton..." he blushed and averted his gaze, "...Marguerite."  
  
" Hello, Ned." Marguerite said sweetly. She knew she was egging Roxton on, but she just   
couldn't help herself. It was just too fun to see him all riled up.  
Roxton, expectantly, was fuming, try as he might to hide it. " I'd like to have a word with   
you, Malone--"  
  
Challenger interrupted before he could get any further. " Dinner's on the table." His eyes   
darted nervously toward the kitchen table. Was this going to work? Or was this experiment going  
to just blow up in his face, like so many had?  
  
Marguerite looked at him questioningly. " When did you become Little Miss Homemaker?"  
Challenger was at a loss for words. " What? Can't I make a dinner every now and then for my   
dearest of all friends?" It was good to butter them up now. They were going to be pretty angry   
when this was all over. " Now, everyone come and eat! I won't take no for an answer."  
  
  
  
It was driving Challenger insane to just sit around and wait, but he knew that the   
experiment would be for nothing if he started asking questions too early. The plant would take   
some time to settle in, but the seconds seemed to be dragging by for hours as he waited to find   
if the plant could really affect people as the myths claimed. He glanced at Summerlee, who   
hesitated and then nodded. Challenger smiled broadly. It was time. " So, how does everyone   
enjoy the food?"  
  
Marguerite looked up at him. " It's horrid, just like every other meal you cook. Really,   
George-- did you just randomly mix together the worst tasting ingredients that you could find?" She stopped, looking visibly stunned by what she had just said.  
The others looked equally shocked. Malone gave her a reprimanding look. " Show some   
manners, Marguerite."  
  
" Look who's talking, you little pervert." Roxton spoke up. " Sneaking up on women while   
they're trying to bathe in privacy." He, too, looked stunned by his words. " Malone, I--"  
  
" It isn't Malone's fault, you know." Veronica spoke up, breaking her usual habit of stoicism  
at the dinner table. " If Marguerite had covered herself in the water instead of flouncing about  
like some sort of harlot, Malone wouldn't have seen her."  
  
Roxton looked over angrily. " It wasn't like she knew anyone was there--"  
  
" Oh, I knew." Marguerite interrupted. " I just didn't cover myself because I thought it was   
you." Her eyes widened as she realized what she had just said.  
Veronica nodded. " I always had my suspicions that Marguerite was kind of slutty." She   
stopped and shot Marguerite a contrite look. " I mean..." but she couldn't seem to think of a lie  
to cover her blunder.  
" You think I'm slutty?" Marguerite repeated, outraged.  
" Don't get so riled up, Marguerite." Malone interjected. " You are rather promiscuous."   
His mouth gaped open after the words came out, but he also couldn't seem to think of an   
appropriate lie to soothe the dark-haired woman that he had just unwisely vexed.  
Marguerite rose heatedly to her feet. " Me, promiscuous? What about your little jungle   
girlfriend over here? I've seen undergarments that were less revealing!"  
  
" She's not my girlfriend." Malone said truthfully, though his face was quite crimson.  
" Oh, please, Malone." Roxton spoke up. " Like any of us don't know that you and Veronica   
want each other."  
  
Malone tilted his chin indignantly. " Look who's talking now, Roxton! Do you think you and   
Marguerite could be any more obvious about how badly you lust after each other?"  
" I do not have to listen to this!" Marguerite cried, thoroughly angered. " Especially not   
from a low class, unrefined innocent!"  
  
" I'm not innocent anymore!" Malone retorted, then shot a guilty look in Veronica's   
direction.  
Veronica rolled her eyes. " Oh, please, Ned-- like I didn't know."  
  
" Well, this night has just been full of pleasant revelations, hasn't it?" Roxton asked   
crossly. He pushed back from his chair. " I'm going to bed. Personally, I don't want to see   
any of you for a good while, if it can be helped."  
  
" Feeling's mutual." Marguerite replied, then stalked off to her room. The other three   
victims of truth's manipulations soon followed suit.  
Summerlee waited until they were gone, then turned to Challenger. " Harmless, is it?"   
Shaking his head, he left for his own quarters.  
  
  
Marguerite yawned and stretched, tiredly padding into the kitchen. She stopped as she   
saw Roxton, seated at the kitchen table. She scowled at him. " I suppose you're going to point   
out how terrible I look this morning?"  
  
" Actually, I was thinking about how much I want to kiss you." Roxton said, then instantly   
colored as the words escaped his lips. Marguerite smiled, unexpectedly pleased. Roxton shook   
his head. " I'm sorry, Marguerite. I didn't--"  
  
Marguerite held up a hand, silencing him. " Actually, Roxton, I'd prefer it if you didn't   
take that back."  
  
Malone and Veronica appeared, entering from opposite sides of the room. None of them seemed   
particularly interested in speaking to each other.  
Finally, Roxton spoke up. " Look, we should probably get this out in the open. Something   
very strange is going on."  
  
" Something strange on the plateau?" Marguerite replied dryly. " Who would have thought?"  
  
Veronica shook her head. " Amazing how Marguerite is the only person that finds herself   
amusing."   
Marguerite shot her a scalding gaze. " What is your problem? I know we haven't exactly been   
the models of polite behavior lately, but you have just gone out of your way to be rude to me.   
One might think that you were jealous."  
  
Veronica tried to deny it, but instead found herself saying, " I am. Accident or not, Malone  
saw you bathing and I'm afraid he liked it." She shot a glance at Malone.  
Malone, in turn, tried to comfort her, but was surprised to hear himself say, " I did like   
it-- a little. Marguerite is a beautiful woman."   
Roxton began to laugh and shook his head.  
" What are you laughing at?" Marguerite asked crossly, surprised at his reaction to Malone's  
little revelation.  
Roxton shook his head. " I'm afraid that if I don't stop laughing, I'm going to rip Malone's  
head off!" Abruptly, he lunged for the younger man, only to be blocked by Veronica and   
Marguerite.  
" What is your problem?" Malone cried, retreating as far away from Roxton as he could get.  
Roxton's face was twisted with rage. " I'm going to kill you for looking at my woman!"  
" Your woman?" Marguerite repeated indignantly. " Since when am I your woman?"  
  
Roxton redoubled his efforts to reach Malone. " Since I fell in love with you." He stopped,  
face falling as he realized what he had just said. He stepped back and swallowed heavily.   
Marguerite looked up at him in shock.  
Across the room, Challenger cleared his throat. Glad to be relieved from facing the   
repercussions of his confession, Roxton turned to face him and the others followed his lead.   
" I'm afraid," Challenger said slowly, " that I've done something rather...terrible. Please sit  
down."  
  
  
  
" You used us." Veronica said coldly. " Frankly, I would expect this from Marguerite,   
but--"  
  
" Hey!" Marguerite cried in protest, but realized that there wasn't anything that she could   
counter with. Guiltily, she admitted, " I guess you're right."  
Summerlee swallowed a bit. " Don't blame this all on George, my friends. I, too, had a   
part."  
  
" Don't try to take the blame for this, Arthur." Challenger said with a sigh. " Summerlee   
did help me discover the plant, but he also tried to convince me not to use the plant on you."   
Challenger hung his head in a proper display of contriteness. " I never meant for this to be   
blown out of proportion as it has been. I just wanted to see if the plant would make you tell   
the truth. I never imagined that you would all be hurt by it."  
  
" Well, we have." Roxton said, voice filled with anger. He, more than the others, had reason  
to be upset by the truths that he had exposed. " And like it or not, Challenger, this is going   
to take a while for us to recover. I've said some things..." He shook his head, remembering how   
he had bluntly told Marguerite that he loved her. How would she treat him, now, knowing that she  
had power over him? Angrily, he rose to his feet. " I think I need to be alone for a while."  
  
He grabbed his gun and headed for the elevator shaft. Marguerite hesitated, then stood to   
follow him. " John, wait!" she called, but he was too far gone. She grabbed her own gun and   
hurried after him.  
Challenger exchanged a look with Summerlee. " Well, I'll be in the lab trying to find an   
herb that will speed up the dissolving of the plant's effects on your systems. If anyone needs   
me..." He shook his head and left. Summerlee followed after him, trying desperately to comfort   
his friend.  
Veronica looked over to Malone. " So, you think Marguerite is beautiful, do you?" she asked.  
" I would be fool not to." Malone replied. Veronica turned away slightly, and Malone   
scooted closer to her. " But I also know that I think that you're more beautiful than any woman  
I've ever seen."  
  
Veronica smiled at him, gratified. " I think you're beautiful, too, Ned." She stopped and   
laughed as she realized what she had said. " Well, you know what I mean."  
  
  
  
Marguerite trampled through the jungle, not really worrying about the branches that tore  
at her skirt and the mud that splattered against her clothing. " Roxton!" she called, searching   
for any trace of him, though it was difficult to see very far ahead in the dense jungle that   
surrounded her. " Roxton!"  
  
Suddenly, Roxton was right in front of her. Marguerite gasped and took a step back, then   
frowned a bit. " Roxton...you startled me."  
  
Roxton looked at her warily. " I thought I told you that I wanted to be alone."  
  
" You know it isn't safe to be outside by yourself so close to nightfall." Marguerite said,   
leaning up against one of the trees so that she could catch her breath. " How many times have   
you given me long, boring lectures about that?"  
  
Roxton shook his head. " Marguerite...you are, perhaps, the most vexing person that I've   
ever met." Seeing the hurt on her face, he added, " But I mean that in a good way."  
  
It was uncanny how this woman could get to him, more than any other. One minute, she was   
driving him insane, and the next, she was making him fall in love with her all over again. She   
was the cause of most of his anger, but at the same time, she was the reason that he was happy.   
It was all so very confusing. And she didn't seem to be affected in the slightest by him.  
He took in a deep breath. " Marguerite, I want you to forget about the things I said before.  
I didn't mean..." But he couldn't lie, try as he might. *Curse you, Challenger*, he thought.   
" You don't have to be embarrassed, Roxton." Marguerite said softly, eyes shining.  
Roxton studied her carefully, frowning a bit. Now was as good a time as any, he supposed.   
At least he'd get an honest answer. But he wasn't sure if that was a good thing... Taking in a   
deep breath, he began. " Marguerite..."  
" Yes?" Marguerite asked, voice filled with anticipation.  
" I want to know..."  
" Uh-huh?"  
  
" ...how do you feel..."  
  
" Yes?"  
  
Roxton stopped abruptly and shoved her down in the thick grass. Marguerite cried out in   
protest. "Roxton-- what do you think you're doing?"  
  
" Shh." Roxton cautioned her, taking the stance of the hunter. " Someone...or something...is  
coming."  
  
Marguerite waited in tense silence, her face pressed up against the mud. What had Roxton   
been about to ask her before being so rudely interrupted?  
A small horde of people appeared suddenly to the east of them, each individual covered in   
the red paint of a warrior. At least, Marguerite hoped it was paint. The leader gave Roxton a   
menacing glare before motioning his men forward. They swarmed around Roxton, and try as he   
might, he wasn't able to fend them off. Once he was sufficiently bound, the leader approached   
him. " There was another one here. Where is she?"  
  
Struggle as she might, Marguerite could not help but pop up out of the grass. " Right here!"  
she cried, then shot a contrite look in Roxton's direction. " Sorry. I can't lie!"  
  
" Thanks a lot, Challenger." Roxton muttered before there was a loud thump and he settled   
into darkness.  
  
  
Veronica crouched down and pointed to the tracks in the mud. " There. It looks like   
there was some sort of struggle. Then Roxton and Marguerite were taken off in that direction."  
  
Challenger shook his head, guilt piling up inside of him. " I can't believe this has   
happened. It's all my fault. They never would have been out here if it weren't for me."  
  
" It was your fault, Challenger. Using us against our wills was wrong. But we don't have   
time for you to feel sorry for yourself," Veronica said bluntly. " Now, you can either sit   
around and cry about it, or we can go out and help our friends."  
  
" You're right, Veronica." Challenger said with a sigh.  
Veronica gave him a sympathetic smile. " Sorry about being so rough on you, but that is   
kind of your own fault, isn't it?"  
" That it is, my dear." Challenger said ruefully and shook his head as they started off on   
the trail. Summerlee gave him a comforting pat on the back.  
About ten minutes into the trail, Challenger stopped suddenly. " Wait a moment. My shoe is   
caught in something."  
  
" Here we go again." Malone spoke up, rolling his eyes a bit. " Having to stop and wait for   
the old people."  
  
Challenger frowned up at him. " Old people? I hope you aren't referring to Summerlee and   
I?"  
  
" Well, you are kind of ancient." Malone pointed out less-than-tactfully. " I mean, you're   
older than Veronica and I combined."  
  
Challenger exchanged a miffed glance with Summerlee. " Well...I'm certainly no longer in awe  
of the Givarri plant's effect on people."  
" Come on, already!" Veronica called out from the trail ahead of them. " You're slowing us   
down!"  
  
  
  
  
Roxton moaned as his eyes fluttered open. He took a moment to process the dark, dank   
cell, the wet, muddy floor, and the sore, throbbing wound on his head. " Well...that's something  
I certainly never want to do again."  
  
Marguerite scooted closer to him from her corner of the cell. " Roxton. Thank goodness   
you're all right. I was worried about you."  
  
Roxton smiled despite the pain he was in. " Oh, really?"  
" Am I in a position to lie right now?" Marguerite returned sarcastically. She glanced   
around warily. "I'm scared, Roxton."  
  
Roxton looked at her in surprise. " Marguerite Krux-- scared? I don't believe it."  
  
" I'm not as thick-skinned as everyone thinks, Roxton." Marguerite replied softly. " That's  
just a cover up because I don't want people to see the real me." She let out an annoyed sigh.   
" Boy, do I hate this stupid truth plant."  
Roxton looked up at her in concern. " Why, Marguerite? Why do you feel like you have to   
hide?"  
  
It was unfair to ask her when she couldn't lie, and he knew it, but he just had to know.   
Marguerite met his gaze. " Because if you saw the real me, you would turn away."  
" I could never turn away from you, Marguerite." Roxton said softly.  
" That's only because you don't know the truth." Marguerite replied evenly. " If you only   
knew who I am, what I've done...you could never love me." A stray tear trickled down her cheek.  
She brushed it away quickly.  
Roxton felt a lump welling in his throat. " Is that what you want, Marguerite? For me to   
love you?"  
  
Marguerite's eyes filled with fear. Her voice trembled as she whispered, " Yes."  
  
Roxton studied her face for a long moment, absorbing every detail of her beauty, and then   
slowly leaned in to kiss her. Marguerite closed her eyes in anticipation, waiting, wanting with   
all of her heart to be loved and desired by this man that had almost effortlessly broken through   
the walls of defense that she had placed.  
The door to the cell burst open, interrupting them before the kiss could be complete. The   
leader of the tribe stood there, face cold as he regarded them. " How touching." he said dryly.  
" Why? Why did he have to come in right now?" Marguerite asked, not even bothering to cringe   
at the open truth that she had revealed. What did it matter, anyway? " Well, you might as well   
cut to the chase. You want to sacrifice us or eat us or do something horrible to us, so why   
don't you just drone on and on about it so that our friends can come and rescue us?"  
  
The leader and Roxton both looked at her in surprise. She shrugged. " Well? Go ahead."  
  
Obviously phased by her bluntness, the leader took a step back. " I...um...I'll be right   
back." He turned and quickly exited the cell.  
  
Roxton raised his eyebrows a bit. " Well...that was a first. Good work, Marguerite."  
  
Marguerite smiled in return. " I do have my moments."  
Roxton smiled at her. " You certainly do." And before anything could interrupt them again,   
Roxton leaned down and kissed her-- softly, tenderly, and for one blissful moment, they were lost  
in each other and completely unaware of the world around them.  
  
  
  
Marguerite stirred drowsily, eyes lazily fluttering open. Panic clutched at her heart as   
she noticed the unfamiliar cell. She jerked up and tried to rise to her feet.   
" Shh..." Roxton said softly from beside her, his voice soothing, " it's all right. I've got  
you."  
Marguerite relaxed at the sound of his voice and the feel of his arms around her. The events  
of the previous day came flooding back to her, and she shook her head wearily. " For a minute,   
there, I thought it was all some horrible dream."  
Roxton smiled tiredly. " It has been a terrible couple of days, hasn't it?"  
  
Marguerite met his gaze, reminiscing the tender moments they had spend together. " Not all   
of it."  
  
Roxton smiled, then shook his head in wonder. He studied her face carefully, cherishing   
every detail about her. Was this real? Was heard-hearted, stubborn Marguerite Krux really here   
with him, allowing him to hold her in his arms? It all seemed too fantastic to be true...  
Suddenly, the door burst open and the leader of the tribe walked in, followed by two of his   
henchmen. "That one." He said, pointing to Marguerite. The two men started toward her.   
Roxton was on his feet in an instant, willing to protect Marguerite with his life if he had   
to. " Not today, boys," he said, voice menacing.   
The first warrior back-handed Roxton. A sharp crack resounded through the air, and Roxton   
was sent sprawling across the room. Blood seeped into his mouth, and he could feel his jaw   
throbbing, but it wasn't nearly enough to make him back down. By now, the second warrior was   
upon him, blade flashing in his hand.  
Marguerite's eyes widened at the sight of the knife. " Roxton, stop!" The warrior froze,   
waiting for Roxton's response. He looked uncertainly to Marguerite. " I'll be all right," she   
assured him.  
Roxton hesitated. He knew full well that Marguerite could take care of herself, but if   
anything happened to her... " If you need me, scream," he said finally, voice grim, " and I'll   
be there in an instant."  
  
Marguerite nodded, forced a smile for his benefit, and then allowed the warriors to lead her   
from the cell.  
  
  
Roxton paced his small, confining prison, nervously racking a hand through his short,   
dark hair. It was driving him insane to be cooped up in a cage like this. Especially when he   
knew what could be happening to Marguerite at this very moment...  
There came a rustling from behind the door. Roxton tensed, preparing to ambush his visitor   
and make a break for it. The door slowly opened to reveal--  
Veronica.  
Roxton smiled and sighed with relief. " Veronica, Malone, Summerlee-- am I glad to see you."  
He regarded Challenger coldly. " Challenger." Challenger gave him a pained expression.  
" You're quite the sight for sore eyes, yourself," Summerlee said, clapping him on the back.  
" We were worried about you, my boy." He glanced around the undersized cell. " Where's   
Marguerite?"  
  
Roxton swallowed, his temporary joy at seeing his friends replaced with his worry for the   
woman who had taken such a strong hold on his affections. " They took her away...I don't know   
where."  
Challenger met his gaze solemnly. " We'll find her, Roxton. Don't worry." *Or I'll never   
forgive myself*, Challenger added silently.  
  
  
Marguerite winced at the cold shackles that dug into her skin. She eyed the leader of the  
tribe, whom she had heard being called Kilger, coldly. " What do you want with me?" she asked   
coldly, then eyed her bonds. " I suppose that a game of gin rummy is out of the question?"  
  
" The Givarri plant." Kilger said simply. " We know you have it. Your bluntness has proven   
that. Where is it?"  
  
" I don't know." Marguerite replied honestly.  
He slapped her.  
The pain was sharp, fierce. She stared at him in stunned silence even as her mouth filled   
with salty, rich blood. Kilger met her gaze callously. " Your dosage must be running short,   
making it possible for you to lie. No matter. You'll soon tell me where it is."  
  
" Maybe you weren't listening. I don't know where it is." Marguerite reiterated. He grabbed  
her roughly by her thick, dark hair and pulled harshly. She cried out in pain.  
" I don't think you understand," Kilger drawled lazily, though his grip was still hard.   
" If you don't tell me where it is, I'll kill you. Slowly and painfully. And then I'll go after  
your little friend. Am I making myself clear?"   
" I don't think *you* understand," Marguerite replied tartly, fighting back the pain that   
surged through her mouth and head, " I don't know where it is. That's the truth."  
Kilger studied her for a moment and then released his grip on her hair. He stared at her   
for a long moment. " What fabric are your undergarments made out of?"  
  
" Silk." Marguerite replied quickly, mechanically.   
Kilger grabbed her blouse and roughly pulled it open, revealing the silk undershirt that she   
wore beneath. He traced his fingers over the garment to make sure that it was, in fact, silk.   
Her flesh crawled at the touch.  
" Are you happy?" she snapped. " It's silk. Awfully dirty silk, but silk, nonetheless."  
  
Kilger's hand lingered on her for just a moment too long. He leered openly at her. " You're  
a very beautiful woman, you know."  
" So I've been told," Marguerite said lightly, trying to mask the terror that was welling in   
her heart. "I'd probably be even more beautiful if you let me out of these chains so I could   
freshen up a bit--"  
  
" Nice try." Kilger interrupted, eyes never traveling from her body. " You know, there's no   
reason this has to be a total waste of time..." He brushed his fingers along her side.  
Marguerite couldn't hold it in any longer. " Roxton!" she cried, voice filled with the   
utmost panic. She waited in tense silence for something to happen.  
Kilger smirked and moved in closer to her, hands moving slowly but roughly upward along her   
waist. " Where's your boyfriend, now?"  
  
In an instant, Roxton was beside her, shoving Kilger backward with the fury and strength of a   
vengeful lover. He slammed Kilger into the wall and pinned him there, glaring with eyes full of   
fire at the tribal leader. " Touch her again and I will kill you." he warned with a voice so   
ominous that no one dared question its authority.  
Challenger grabbed the Kilger's keys from his side and hurried over to free Marguerite.   
" Are you all right, Marguerite?"  
  
Marguerite tried to come up with a smart remark but found that she was unable to do so.   
" Yes, I'm fine, George." she said, turning her head away so that the others couldn't see the   
tears glistening in her eyes.  
This gesture was not lost on Roxton, and his grip tightened on Kilger's throat. " You better  
be grateful that I got here before anything more happened," Roxton said softly to Kilger,   
" because if it had, you would be dead by now. And that's the utmost truth."  
  
  
  
It was three days later, and the commotion of the previous days' activities was just   
beginning to die down. The effects of the Givarri plant had long since died off, and life was   
beginning to return back to normal for the little band of explorers.  
As the group sat around the living area performing their various activities, Challenger   
quietly entered the room and cleared his throat. " Excuse me, everyone. May I have your   
attention?" The room grew silent as all eyes were turned toward him. " I'd like to apologize for  
my behavior with the Givarri plant." Malone opened his mouth to protest, but Challenger held up a  
hand to silence him. " Please, let me finish. What I did was wrong, scientifically based or   
not. I should never have manipulated my friends in such a manner. So, as retribution..." He   
pulled out a flask of juice extract from the Givarri plant and drank it to the astonishment of   
his group, "...you may ask me whatever questions you like and I will give an honest answer."   
Veronica smiled sweetly at him. " Challenger, you didn't have to do that. We've all   
forgiven you already."  
" Yeah," Malone piped up, " even though you shouldn't have used us like that, you made us say  
some things that needed to be said."  
  
Challenger smiled, gratified by their kindness. He turned hesitantly to Roxton. " Even you,  
Roxton?" he asked, knowing that the hunter's wrath had been the strongest.  
Roxton smiled broadly in return. " Yes, Challenger, even me. Water under the bridge. And I  
think I can speak for all of us when I say that you don't have to answer any questions."  
  
" Speak for yourself!" Marguerite cried, voice indignant. " Thanks to Challenger, I had to   
burn my good silk underwear. I want some questions answered."  
  
" Marguerite--" Roxton began.  
  
Marguerite continued on, ignoring Roxton's warning tone. " What was your most embarrassing   
moment?"  
  
" The time I threw up on Maggie Wendell at the town picnic." Challenger said, then instantly   
colored. " Oh, dear. I'm not sure this was such a good idea..." He turned and began to hastily   
depart from the room.  
Marguerite rose up after him. " Not so fast, George. I still have plenty of questions to   
ask..."  
  
  
The End  
  
  



End file.
